Just a Coincidence
by Sithstrukk
Summary: On Qui-Gon and Tahl's first date, their Padawans and their friends are determined to mess it up.


**Wow. This is the spell-checked version. 'Cause I finally got spellcheck working!**

Qui-Gon paced nervously back and forth in his room. He was really, really nervous, which was not in his personality, not at all.

But he felt he had good reason to be nervous. His first date was tonight.

After some advice from his friends and some persuading, he had asked Tahl out. It was a non romantic dinner at Didi and Astri's restaurant. Nothing could go wrong.

Fortunately, when he asked her, she said yes right away. He glanced at his chrono uneasily. A half hour until he would meet her there. Now, the last thing he needed was-

"Master!" Obi-Wan dashed into the room. "I heard you asked Tahl out!"

"How do you know already?" Qui-Gon asked, disbelieving.

"Oh, come on, everyone knows that none of your friends can keep a secret. Now every Padawan, Knight and Master knows. Even the younglings. And the Jedi Council," Obi-Wan grinned.

But Qui-Gon started to panic. "Are you insane? Do you know what this means?" he shouted. Obi-Wan looked uneasy. "Not really, no." Qui-Gon looked furious. "This means, we will probably come across a couple of Jedi Knights in the restaurant 'by coincidence'. This means a Jedi Master will be our taxi driver 'by coincidence'. All because everyone had to know, and everyone knows, so they will want gossip, so-

-"Oh, come on master, it's not that bad!" Obi-Wan exclaimed. "Sometimes you're a drama queen. I mean king. I mean-"

"That's enough Obi-Wan. Thank you," Qui-Gon said curtly, ushering Obi-Wan out of the room.

"Mwahahahah!" Obi-Wan couldn't resist cackling evilly."I am brilliant."

"Hey, don't forget us," Bant spoke up. Her silver eyes matched Obi-Wan's excitment. "WE are brilliant."

"Yeah, and we couldn't care less if Qui-Gon and Tahl's date went horrible," Garen said, gesturing at him and Reeft. "We just want to smack someone in the face with butter."

"Good to know we have your support," Obi-Wan said, grinning.

"What time are they going?" Bant asked. Obi-Wan glanced at his chrono. "Right now!" he yelled. "We're behind schedule!" All the Padawans dashed for the door and ran out of the temple, hailed an air taxi, and rushed off to Didi and Astri's.

Inside the restaurant, it wasn't hard to spot Qui-Gon, sitting at a table with an anxious looking Tahl. They were chatting casually.

But it wasn't hard for Didi to spot Obi-Wan either. "Obi-Wan, I see you bought friends!" He smiled.

"Shhhh!" The Padawans hissed. Didi looked confused. "We're just here to spy on Qui-Gon and Tahl,"Obi-Wan explained. "We'll buy something on the way out."

There was a mischievous look in Didi's eyes. "Ah, yes. He's here on his dinner date," he snickered. "I never thought he get a date."

"Ah! He's looking this way!" Bant exclaimed. They ducked behind a deserted table.

"Alright, I'm going to leave you guys to spy, but don't get in the way of the other customers," Didi grinned. Then he turned around and walked casually toward the bar as if he had never seen them.

"Alright, Bant, you go over there, Garen, you over there, and Reeft, over there," Obi-Wan pointed. "I'll stay here."

"Good," Garen smiled, "In perfect range of putting butter in someone's face."

Bant looked uneasy. "Why are we doing this again?"

"Because we don't want our Masters dating! That's weird!" Obi-Wan exclaimed.

Bant looked scared. "I don't like that. What if they get married?"

Garen laughed, "And have kids!"

"And make you babysit them while they go on missions!" Reeft chimed in.

Obi-Wan groaned. "Get in place!"

They scrambled to take cover. Tahl turned around to look suspiciously at where Reeft had shoved himself behind a table directly behind her.

Obi-Wan fumbled for something on his belt. He pulled out his comlink. He keyed in the sequence for the five way com, and waited. Garen's voice broke the silence. "The bread has spotted the butter. I repeat, the bread has spotted the butter! The butter is in the toaster! I repeat-"

"What _are_ you doing?" Bant asked in disbelief.

"I...I...I see Qui-Gon with the butter in his hand! Can I put it in his face?" Garen explained; embarrassed. "I was practicing my secret code skills, you know-"

-"That's enough, Garen thanks," Obi-Wan interrupted. He did not want to know why his friend was acting so weird. "Just push the butter in his face, will you?"

"No." Bant argued. "Put it in Tahl's face. She made me do extra lightsaber drills yesterday. And then I was sore all night."

_This is quite unlike Bant, _Obi-Wan thought. "Well Obi-Wan, what do I do?" Garen asked. "I have to put it in someone's face!"

"Put it in both of their faces. Can you do that?" Obi-Wan asked, thinking quickly.

His response was a shout of surprise from Tahl and a muttered curse from Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon rose in his seat, wiping butter out of his eyes. "What in the name of the force was that?" He roared.

Giggling erupted from the comlink in Obi-Wan's hand. "Quiet guys, listen," He said urgently.

Qui-Gon looked furious. Beyond furious. He had spotted Garen Muln, and was holding him by his tunic. "What are you doing here?" He growled. Tahl sat nearby, a shocked expression on her face, like she couldn't believe what Qui-Gon was doing to Garen. He looked ready to kill him.

"I...I...he...you..."Garen stuttered."He's going to blame us!" Reeft said in disbelief. "What should we do?"

Obi-Wan ignored him. They were so close to victory, it did not matter if they were caught. "Quiet!" he hissed into the com.

Tahl had stood up. Qui-Gon whirled around to face her, dropping Garen. "Sorry Tahl. This" he gestured to Garen, "Kid has been spying on us."

Tahl looked surprised. "So?" She said. "Why does it matter? No one will care back at the Temple."

This time, Qui-Gon looked furious at her. "Because...then everyone will know! A Jedi Knight will be our taxi driver! Jedi Masters will be stalking us! Padawans like Garen will be flinging food in our faces! And they will all say 'what a coincidence, we didn't expect to see you!" He shouted.

Tahl laughed. "And that bothers you?" She teased.

Qui-Gon looked hurt. "You don't care," he said sadly. "Does this matter to you?"

Tahl looked uncertain. "Maybe...we shouldn't go out again," she suggested. Before Qui-Gon could protest, she turned around and left.

Obi-Wan realized the restaurant had gotten completely quiet. Didi was staring right at the table where Obi-Wan was. He looked like he was trying hard to not laugh. Then Obi-Wan realized why. Qui-Gon was covered in butter; Garen was standing rigid in fright, with a comical look of fear on his face. Bant had emerged from hiding, her Mon Calamari eyes stretched wide. And Reeft had sat down at Qui-Gon and Tahl's table, eating off their plates.

He climbed out cautiously from under the table and approached Qui-Gon. "Um...what a coincidence?" He said uneasily.


End file.
